by G. Howell
“It didn’t,” she said, then hissed and shook her head like a dog with water in its ear and pushed away from the door to stalk over. “Mikah, that was nothing to do with me. I was going to arrange a quiet little talk with you, but not like that. Mikah, that was a serious attempt on your life.”
“Oh, I know,” I said quietly.
“You do?”
“Otherwise you wouldn’t have this laid out.” I gestured at the room. “That was a bit too much attention, a?”
“Huhnn,” she growled softly and looked me up and down. “You’re sure you’re all right?”
“A.”
She gave another thoughtful rumbling growl and nodded her muzzle downwards. “Your hand.”
My… I hadn’t noticed. I lifted my right hand and the shaking was quite visible. Trembling like some neurological disorder. I made a fist, but that didn’t stop the muscles spasming. “Well, will you look at that,” I murmured.
She was suddenly very close, close enough to lay her hand over mine. Her whole hand was only just large enough to cover my clenched fingers; I could feel the pads on her fingers, cool compared with the hot skin under her fur. “Someone just tried to kill you. I’m not surprised.”
“There’s been a lot of that going around lately,” I said.
“And you? I never knew you could breathe fire.”
I studied her face as best I could, trying to judge the set of her ears, her jaw, the crease of her muzzle, wideness of her eyes and pupils. As far as I could tell she was joking, but that was masking something else. I couldn’t read just was that was. I pulled my hand away from her. “Who was that down there?”
She hissed air in what may have been a sigh. “I don’t know. Please, sit down.”
I was going to say I’d rather stand, but actually… I folded myself down to the cushion and she crouched beside me where she could see my face. Now I was shaking. That Rris had been close enough for me to hit. If Rohinia hadn’t realized it was a diversion and turned then… I shuddered, then looked around, “Where are they anyway?”
“They? Your Mediators?”
“Wish they were mine: I could sell them on ebay,” I muttered.
She got the gist of that. Uncertainty and amusement flittered across her face and she patted my arm. Squatting there like that, dignity discarded, she didn’t seem like the Queen of a Rris nation. But I’d lain with her; we’d been as close as two people can physically get and I’d seen her lying limp and ruffled and panting. I supposed dignity at that point was a bit of hypocrisy. And I also supposed that was something I was also guilty of. Slowly, I took her hand, and she didn’t flinch as I held it. “Thank you,” I told her. “For everything you’ve done.”
She leaned in closer. So her muzzle laid alongside my cheek and I could feel the fur of her cheek tufts tickling me; the warmth of her breath on my ear as she softly growled, “You’re quite welcome.”
I leaned my head against her and sighed. She shifted, an inhalation as if she were going to speak but another voice interjected, “Not interrupting anything, am I?”
Jenes’ahn was standing in the doorway. Her ears were turned back. Not down flat against her head, but then again she wasn’t happy either.
“You sure you don’t want to buy them?” I asked her Ladyship as I gestured toward the doorway and the Mediator. “They’re house trained and make great conversation pieces at parties.”
She made a brief cough that may have been a truncated chitter as she drew away. I gave her hand a final squeeze before letting it go and she stood to face the Mediator.
“Was this relevant to the situation?” Jenes’ahn asked icily as she stalked over.
Her ladyship cocked her head. “He was shaking like he had [something]. I think this situation might have distressed him.”
“I’m okay,” I said. “It’s... This’s happened so often, I think I’m getting used to it.”
Jenes’ahn moved and then she was crouching in front of me, her amber eyes staring right into my own. Her hand reached up and I flinched back. She waited for me to be still and then she caught my chin between thumb and forefinger. I felt the tips of her claws pricking my skin; delicately, like she was holding an eggshell but it was enough to scratch me if I tried to evade her. “You are all right?” she asked. “What happened?”
“That’s a good question,” I bit back, and raised my own hand to push at hers. She resisted for a split second and then released me, as if saying ‘I don’t have to but I choose to’. “What was that?” I demanded. “Who was that?” I asked.
“We don’t know yet. You didn’t recognize him?”
I almost laughed. “No. No, we weren’t properly introduced. But why did he try to kill me? I thought this issue was sorted out.”
“Mikha, you are an ongoing issue.”
I shuddered.
“But her highness said you were shaking. You aren’t injured? Ill?”
“Someone tried to stick a knife in me,” I told her. “That sort of gets to you. If Rohinia hadn’t looked around... You both got taken in by that incident. I thought you were supposed to be good.”
“You’re still alive,” Jenes’ahn responded.
I shrugged. That was as much luck as anything.
“And breathing fire,” she said. I saw a flash of teeth. “That wasn’t something I’d heard you do.”
I shook my head. A party trick. I’d had a mouthful of alcohol... “It was an act... of the moment.”
“You were concerned about standing out; I’m sure that little trick is going to give a lot of mouths something to gossip about,” she said dryly.
I shook my head again. My hands were still shaking. Clenching them stopped the trembling, but it just started as soon as I relaxed them again.
“What about the others? There was a distraction, there had to be others involved. It was right in the middle of a crowd. Someone had to have seen something.”
“It’s surprising how blind so many eyes can be,” the Mediator said. “We will learn what we can. There’s always a trail,” she said in an offhand sort of way, as if it were something said often. She looked at the desk, at the food there. There wasn’t much doubt that she noted that the composition of the meal wasn’t something that would appeal to a Rris palate. “What were you planning here?”
Her ladyship blinked. “Nothing was planned. This was thought to be the safest on hand place to bring him. I had wished him to join me here after this evening’s ceremonies: To talk to him. To show him this,” H’risnth raised a hand to indicate the sketch on the wall
“Huhn,” Jenes’ahn stepped closer to peer at it. “A picture? Why?”
“It was one of the pieces I commissioned from him.”
“He did that?”
“A.”
“Huh. I’ve never been much for art,” she said. “It looks plain. It has worth?”
Her Ladyship cocked her head. “It shows skill and it has a unique elegance.”
“Unique. Then it does have value. But that’s all you wanted to discuss?”
“That and thanking him for his services here; to offer him a token of my appreciation. For his time and his efforts despite everything that has happened to him.”
“I was under the impression that was what the ceremonies this evening were about.”
Her ladyship waved hand dismissively. “So formal. I have appreciation for everything that Mikah has done for us and wished to convey that to him personally, without all that noise and commotion. I know he’s not at his ease in such situations.”
“A token?” Jenes’ahn asked suspiciously. “What would that be?”
Her Ladyship raised her muzzle slightly, eyeing the Mediator. Then she walked over to the desk and knelt to slide a drawer open. Using both hands she lifted out a cloth bundle abo
ut the size of my tablet. Placing it on the desk she unfolded the velvet wrapping; a box polished and lacquered to such an extent that it almost glowed in the lamplight. With deft movements she turned it and opened the lid. Neatly nestled inside was a neat rectangle of creamy parchment and an assortment of charcoal sticks. She tipped her head, awaiting the Mediator’s response.
“That is all?” Jenes’ahn was staring at the drawing paper as though she didn’t know what it was.
“A,” her Ladyship said, standing to face the Mediator.
Jenes’ahn stared back at the Rris queen. I saw the hint of a crease across the bridge of her muzzle. “Such a meeting was not sanctioned by the Guild.”
“It was a personal issue,” her Ladyship said. “I wished to thank him; to fulfill a host’s obligation to the guest. It wasn’t about trading or any other transaction.”
The Mediator growled and regarded me again. “You can [something] this?”
“Someone tried to stab me and then I was brought here. That’s all I know.” I shrugged, “But just a chance to talk would be good. Not shop; not work, just... talking.”
There was a soft scratching at the door and a guard nervously sidled in. Both the females leveled their gazes at the unfortunate guard. “I beg your pardons,” he ducked his head. “There are urgent messages. Constable, your associate requires your presence.”
Jenes’ahn gesture acknowledgement.
“And Milady, the envoy from Shattered Water are... requesting information. About... your guest. They wish to see him. They are very insistent.”
“I’m sure they are,” Lady H’risnth snorted. “Bring them here,” she told the guard and waved a dismissive hand. He backed out.
Jenes’ahn regarded us. “I’ve got to find Rohinia. We will rejoin you as soon as is possible. I want you, Mikah, to stay here. Your Ladyship, I trust you will not take advantage of my absence.”
“My word,” she said.
“Mikah?”
I shuddered again, clenched my hands and grinned mercilessly. “Huh, I was going to tell her about a device that lets you see through solid walls.”
“A?” she startled.
“Yeah, we call it a window,” I said.
Her expression went from shocked - horrified at my potential disobedience - through to confusion and then charged on to bridled indignation. She opened her mouth. Several times. Then just hissed at me, turned a lashing tail and stalked off.
“Mikah,” Lady H’risnth started and then clamped her hands over her muzzle. I wasn’t sure whether the choked snort was a smothered laugh or groan of despair. Her shoulder shook once before she recovered and told me: “You are going to go too far one of these days.”
“And she will what? Execute me for telling bad jokes?” I retorted and sighed. “I’m sorry. I think it’s a way I compensate. Something like... tonight happens and I get like this. Not much else I can do. Oh, one other thing.”
“What is that?”
I stood, stepping close to her and she looked up at me and then started to raise her hands, as if to ward me off as I embraced her. “Thank you,” I murmured. “For what you’ve done. For everything. Thank you. I’m sorry there’s not more I can do to repay you.”
She relaxed. Her hands, pressed against my chest, clenched once to prick me with her claws before relaxing. “You could stay,” she said quietly, barely on the edge of hearing.
I lowered my head, breathing into her thick fur. She smelled of overheated Rris, paraffin and anxiety and dust and reminded me of someone else. “No,” I said, just as quietly, “I can’t”
She heaved a sigh that I could feel: a heaving of her ribcage against me. “A. I know. I know.”
“I won’t forget, though. That gift, that is something I will treasure.”
“And use well, I hope. We will see one another again. Perhaps there will be another night, a?” She was looking up at me. She flashed a quick, sharp grin. “I’m teasing.”
“Oh,” I said. “Good. I think.”
“Now, you might want to let go of me, a? It might not be such a good idea to have the others find us like this.”
In fact it wasn’t twenty seconds before the commotion outside started and seconds after that Chaeitch, Rraerch, Marasitha, and a squad of Land-of-Water guards spilled in, Rraerch and Marasitha exchanging heated snarls with Chriét and his escorts. They spied me and there was a general rush in my direction, arguing Rris voices ripping and spitting across one another.
“I’m fine. I’m all right,” I said as they bustled around, and then protested as Chaeitch caught my chin much like Jenes’ahn had done, “Stop that.”
“They said there were several of them. They said there was a knife.”
“He never had a chance to use it. Now, dammit, I’m fine,” I snapped as I pulled away.
He laid his ears back and moved his hand. He patted my shoulder and I shrugged away. “You’re sure? Red tie me, Mikah, what did you do?”
“Do? I didn’t do anything. I got a drink and... I said I’m fine,” I repeated, twisting to address Rraerch who was checking my back.
“Another drink?” Chaeitch pounced. “How many did you have tonight?”
“Not enough,” growled. “I’m still quite sober. Unfortunately.”
“They said there was a fire - an explosion or something.”
“It was nothing,” I said.
“Nothing? I heard some strange things,” Rraerch said. “That you spat fire. You burned a Rris alive.”
“I clocked him with a candlestick,” I correctly hotly. “You’re listening to rumors now? Rraerch, I thought more of you.”
She didn’t bite. “And I thought you said you weren’t going to get into trouble.”
“Oh, you got me. I’ll tell you what: I’ll remove all assassination attempts from my to-do list, a?”
“Rot you... Just tell us what happened.”
So I did. They listened. They asked me to repeat myself. Then they all exchanged looks as if to confirm that they’d all heard what the others had. “You... blew fire?” Rraerch squeaked.
Chaeitch turned to the Lady H’risnth. “Can you say if this is true?”
Her Ladyship delicately cupped her hand. “From all the reports I’ve had, a. It is.”
Rraerch’s ears had gone back flat and the look she was giving me... I couldn’t tell if it was fury or disbelief or terror. It was all flattened ears and pure black eyes. “This happens and you just... shrug it off?” she demanded. “What is the matter with you?”
The matter? I didn’t feel like there was anything the matter. I wasn’t feeling much of anything. “I’ve been hunted by towns and Guilds and governments. I’ve been shot at and chased and attacked more times than I can recall. I just can’t get my fur up over some idiot with a knife.”
Rraerch stared. I met her stare. I realized my hands were aching, the tendons almost creaking as I clenched them, but they weren’t shaking.
Then she dropped her gaze and hissed quietly, seeming to deflate. “Mikah,” she said in a smaller voice, “you... I don’t think you understand...”
“Aesh Smither,” Lady H’risnth stepped forward and interrupted. “If I may?” she beckoned.
Rraerch looked as if she were going to respond, but then ducked her head. The pair of them moved away from us. The exchange that followed was low-key, so I couldn’t hear.
“That’s what you were doing out there?”
“What?” I turned to Chaeitch. He gestured at the picture on the wall.
“That? You did that?”
“I... uh... oh, a. It was just one of the sketches. Not the final.”
“It’s good,” he said.
“Oh.” I said. “Thanks.”
In the silence that followed I could hear the sibilants
of the conversation going on across the room, but not the details. About me, I was sure.
“You really breathed fire?” he chirped, interrupting my thoughts.
I almost laughed. “It’s just a trick.”
“Huhn. Can you teach me?”
I looked at him, with his furry face and cheek tufts and mouth not really designed for that sort of thing and my cheeks did twitch in a rictus that was almost amusement. “Ahhh, I think you might burn your face off.”
“Huhn,” his ears flickered and he hooked his hands into his belt and rocked back and forth, still regarding the picture on the wall. “Well then, could you do a portrait of me?”
“You?”
“Yes.” He twitched and blinked at me. “Yes, me. Why?”
“I... no reason. Just, I didn’t think... why would you want one?”
“To get in ahead of the rush,” he said and flicked me a grin. It was meant to be teasing, but I still flinched. “First her Ladyship gets one and soon every highborn flufftail will be wanting the same.”
“You think?”
“A. It’s quite exotic. Her Ladyship is a connoisseur of the exotic.”
“So I’d heard,” I replied, trying to keep everything from my tone to my features neutral.
He gave me another look and I wasn’t quite sure what that one was. Smugness? Amusement? Something he wasn’t saying? “And she does have an excellent eye,” he said. “So I think they will be sought after.”
“Just something for me to do in all my spare time,” I said.
“Which will put your abilities in even more demand,” he smirked.
And a hand laid on my arm. I jerked away, spinning and recoiling and throwing my arm up as my heart surged. Rraerch was just standing there, her arm still extended, her mouth partly open and eyes widening.
I froze. I was panting; my heart was hammering uncontrollably, my skin prickling with cold sweat. And in the space of less than a handful of heartbeats I was aghast and then angry and then horribly embarrassed.
